The Slow Path
by Atheia
Summary: the doctor left rose on the beach with the other doctor here's what happens next, with romantic themes a bit of fish out of water angst and those pesky zepplins.
1. Chapter 1

The First Step

_Bad Wolf Bay_

The Doctor wants to be able to say it, to tell her how he feels but he has to be strong. "I said Rose Tyler," he will not allow himself to cry.

She asks how that sentence ends and he can't ever tell her however much she begs. He has to remain aloof because Davros was right he is dangerous and one day Rose will get hurt or even worse she will change so much that Rose won't be Rose anymore. The other Doctor who pulled the lever and finished the time war once and for all by committing mass genocide, is free of the restraints that still bind the original son of Gallifrey. He bends down and whispers in Rose's ear those three words that have kept the Doctor fighting.

She holds the lapels of his suit jacket pulling him in for a kiss. The Doctor says nothing but his hearts are breaking and if he doesn't leave now the envy he is feeling will consume him. He knows leaving the other Doctor with Rose is the right thing to do as it ties up loose ends just as he put Jackie and Pete back together. He could never give Rose the life she so deserves more than anyone just like he can't allow Donna to stay as the DoctorDonna. At least Rose isn't crying this time, if she was that all important first step would be so very much harder.

He forces himself to turn his back on the young shop girl who killed the Emperor of the Daleks by pouring the time vortex into his head, he sent her away twice and she kept coming back. It was as she said that they could never be torn apart but the void closed and that was hard. This is even harder because it could have been him.

The familiar sound of the TARDIS pulls Rose away from the clone Doctor. She is so full with emotion that it's hard to stand, she never got to say good bye and she's sure he had his reasons but she feels robbed and more abandoned than ever. He probably had some ridiculously noble reason for leaving her like this and it was more than likely something along the lines of protecting her from another tearful farewell but how bloody well dare him? Who is he to say what pain Rose can endure?

She fought so hard to see him again just to be dropped off back safely behind the curtain between worlds out of harms reach, out of the way. He's out there amongst the stars living it up with Donna whilst she's left to walk the slow path just like Madame De Pompadour who died of waiting for him to come back.

The other Doctor holds her hand in silence and it doesn't make any sense but it's the Doctor. The same Doctor that she is so mad at who took her hand and showed her so many wonderful things like the Medusa Crusade and New New York. She gets to start again, he gave her that.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor says.

"So am I." She nods as they take their first step across the sand.


	2. Chapter 2

Hot Air

_Somewhere over the North Sea_

_NB: I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to not only read my story but also to leave that all important review. Keep them coming. XOXO_

Jackie misses planes at least they had windows and in flight entertainment. She sips her lukewarm cup of tea and flicks through the complimentary magazine trying to sell her airship related souvenirs, she likes the look of the snow globe and Tony would like the inflatable toy. She hasn't been this bored since she was last in the waiting rooms at the GP's where she was forced to look through months old gossip magazines, of course she hasn't had to use the NHS for a while.

Rose has gone to sleep with her head resting on the Doctor's shoulder. Jackie can't understand that what with the Doctor being so awfully skinny that it would be like using a metal railing as a pillow. Rose could always go to sleep anywhere like the bus on the way home from a busy day at work, there was one time when she was six when she dozed off in the laundrette watching the machine spin leaving Jackie wishing she had brought her camera. Everyone has cameras on their phones these days so they can always capture moments like that but then after the Cybermen a lot of people are wary of technology.

Jackie can't get on with all those gizmos and gadgets. She couldn't even understand the teleport thingy in her bag she can use it just don't ask how it works; maybe it's for the best that the Doctor wouldn't let her touch anything in his precious blue box. They might have ended up somewhere like the fourth moon of Jupiter, she doesn't even know if Jupiter even have a fourth moon? No doubt the Doctor could tell her in great detail, he seems to have all the answers.

She's hated him so much because he took Rose away from her and showed her all those things that Jackie could never even imagine, now she hates him because he left her safely back on Earth. She was the one who had to pick up all the pieces when he left and broke her Rose's little heart. Oh how she loathed to see Rose tired and frustrated because she couldn't find a way to get to him. It was even worse when Rose did manage to crack it and here they are flying back to London.


	3. Chapter 3

Grounded

_London_

"Marvellous things Zeppelins," the Doctor beams. "Designed for war of course, I last flew in one over Hamburg, obviously before the Cybermen incident. Great band as well, Knocking on Heaven's Door is just brilliant."

Rose smiles at him because he sounds the same, the same mannerisms except he can't seem to say brilliant the same way his voice is too hard for it now. It's such a small thing that shouldn't matter but it does. "Better than that Britney Earth classic?" Rose asks thinking back to the song played on satellite 5 as the Earth died.

"Oh much better, not even in the same league," he smiles sounding like her Doctor again and it's all so very confusing.

She wonders why he seems so adamant to prove that he's the same when he isn't, he didn't go to satellite 5 and never went into the Big Brother house or even met Max they are all lies set to trick her. She woke up with her head on his shoulder and his arm around her stroking her hair, her Doctor would never have done that. It felt nice though like he was still there in that hand.

She needs to learn to trust him.

The Doctor looks at her wondering what she is thinking because he can see the clogs whirring behind those eyes. He remembers the first time she looked at him with the eyes of an equal, not just a child looking for a teacher but how a woman looks at a man. He was scared of what it meant because he could never give her that life no that was the other Doctor. The original could not love Rose even though he did and he couldn't help falling for her. He loved her before she even knew that she loved him back, he still was from the North then with his stupid ears and he was scared of how he felt for her so he was harsh with her to distance him to save her from that pain that comes with being left behind.

"I'm still the Doctor," he says aloud making her look at him. He is still the Doctor when he looks at Rose, he wants to be more for her than he is, knows that the thing he did back on the Crucible upset her even if he can't see how it was wrong the Daleks were evil to the point that to let them live was intolerable. He knows that distanced himself from the real Doctor in Rose's eyes because he would never have done it, would have left them alone so they could regroup and be a threat to the universe again. The Doctor was the constant pillar of virtue in Rose's eyes but then she never understood what the Doctor really was, how did Tommy put it 'rage?'

"Are you though?" She asks, "Really?"

He nods, "I have his memories and we think the same way-

"He would never have done that, he wanted to save Davros not leave him to die!"

"He held a gun towards the Dalek in Van Stratton's basement and would have pulled the trigger if you hadn't talked to him, the Doctor was better with you and maybe one day so will I."

"I hope so,"

The new Doctor nods sadly and misses the turn of the planet under his feet, at least he could take comfort in its silent promise of progress but instead he's alone in very familiar company.


	4. Chapter 4

Home

The car stops outside the old Tyler house and Pete points out the fixed windows. The Doctor seems to like fixing things; he put one widow and one widower together just like he left the other him with Rose. Pete wonders if there was something they could call the other Doctor instead of other because it's a bit on the confusing side and despite everything Pete likes the simple life.

"You should have a name," Pete says.

"I have one," the Doctor nods.

"But there's already one Doctor, and well I can't call you the other Doctor because that's weird and Tony will end up just calling you other and Rose doesn't call me other Dad." He says.

"Dad," Rose complains.

"Well, what do you say other?" Pete asks, "You're half human or something now, right?"

"Yes,"

"And no human is just called a profession it's just not done, especially as you might not even be a Doctor. Have you thought about what you'll do now you're here?" He asks and is answered by a blank expression.

"I'll need to get a job, I've always been a bit vague about money," the Doctor says. The last time he got stranded on Earth Martha got a job to support him in a shop.

"What always?" Rose asks, "You've only been alive for a day!

"Rose?" Jackie asks it isn't like Rose to be rude.

"I'm off to bed, it's been a long day," she stands and leaves the room not even looking at the Doctor.

"Night love," Pete sighs.

"I'll go have a word," Jackie says standing and wanting to go but Pete holds her wrist, "Pete she's upset, I have to-

"No, Jacks leave her she's had a hard day." Pete smiles, he never tires of being the voice of reason. "I'm sorry Doctor but she tried so hard to get back to him what with the Cannon and everything that she's angry that he left her again."

The Doctor is staring out of the window at the stars, they are all back how they should be but he can't feel them anymore. He has to live in the moment and it's odd to miss something that he didn't know. Rose was right he has the Doctor's memories not his own but they feel like his.

"She loves you," Jackie says. "And I've hated you Doctor because of what you've done to my little girl but you are two halves of the same you've just been cut funny like me and my Pete we're better people together than apart."

"Jackie your brilliant," he smiles.

"I've always thought so," Pete adds but Jackie is completely dumbstruck by the compliment.

"I'll go have a word with Rose," the Doctor smiles with a glimmer of hope in his big brown eyes.

"Good luck Doctor,"

"Call me John," he smiles rushing up the stairs.

Rose is in tears curled up on her bed hugging her pink fluffy cushion. She doesn't want to be so mad but she's heartbroken and there's a man downstairs that looks, sounds and acts like the man who broke it. She knows it's not his fault but she's not feeling very rational and well he's here.

There's a knock at her door, no doubt her mum's come to check on her with a nice cup of tea and a cuddle.

"I'm fine mum," she sobs.

The door opens and the Doctor enters, "Can we talk?" He asks handing her a hankie.

She takes the hankie and nods, "Sure, I'm sorry about earlier."

"It's hard for you because I look like him and I have his memories but I'm no more the Doctor than that man down there holding your mother is you father but you accept him. Jake accepted Mickey despite the fact that he wasn't Ricky," he says sitting down. "I'm here Rose and I love you and I think we can make a life here the type of life he can't and we'll do it for him because you've kept him fighting to make a difference. I'm not going anywhere Rose, when you're ready come and talk to me." He kisses her forehead.

She looks at him, "Stay with me."

He nods, "Alright." He says feeling aware of the harshness of his alright, a sign of Dona's involvement in his creation.

"Can you hold me?" She asks.

He takes off his suit jacket and wraps his arms around her. She makes him feel connected and for the first time the Doctor feels human.


	5. Chapter 5

Dawn Chorus

John Smith wakes up to the sound of birds singing. It must be nearly four and the gap of sky showing in between the lilac curtains is an odd shade of blue, not quite day yet but no longer night either. It's the brink of a new day.

John stands with his feet sinking in the sheepskin rug and walks over to the window. He can't remember the lost time he stood still long enough to watch the sunrise. The solitary yellow sun pokes up from behind the trees, the trees don't change colour like the ones back on Gallifrey that look like they are on fire. He told Grace about Gallifrey thinking it was Earth because he had lost his memory, things were the same with Joan but with Rose she knows everything.

"Doctor," Rose groans in her sleep kicking all thoughts about other women from his head.

"I'm right here," he says perching at the end of the bed. He doesn't ever want to leave her again not now that he doesn't have to. He curls up next to her holding her tight just because he is so very glad to be able to be here with her. He watches the sunrise from her bed with a strange realisation that it's the only sun he'll ever see. He doesn't have his TARDIS as the original Doctor still has it, despite the fact that he can recall stealing it so he could get away with his granddaughter. There was always some reason why he had to keep running, he didn't mean to upset all those people he left behind because that would require him actually having to stop and think about the consequences. He did what he had to just like back on the Crucible, what's wrong with that?

Rose got left behind and he thought of her every day, all those things he did all the unfair comparisons with Martha all those adventures and still he thought of her. Thousands of people across the stars and though time have spoke of love as if it was something in need of definition, the science of love all those hormones and mind games, the rules and regulations but it's all nonsense. He doesn't need to read H G Wells to know time travel is possible and he doesn't need to read Keats to know that he is in love with the woman in his arms.

Rose melts further back into his arms, strange that when she's asleep she calls out for him but doing her woken hours he isn't the Doctor. He doesn't mind though because hope is a gorgeous thing and he's got bags of it. He doesn't mind watching the sunrise from her bed seeing how the light changes on her skin and hair. He is actually excited about the oncoming day because for once he doesn't know what's going to happen. He gets to live day by day, he can't think of anything more fun.

He'll miss the adventures and the variety, hell he'll even miss the running but this way is better. He is after all half human and therefore not so aptly designed for brilliant adventures, but a life with Rose is just wizard and well worth standing still for.


	6. Chapter 6

An Ordinary Day

The kitchen is a picture of happy family life as everyone sits down to have breakfast of toast and cereal. John Smith looks at the Tyler's as Jackie is going on about the mother's at the toddler group that she went to last night and Pete is stressing about the day ahead of him at work, Tony is being like any other toddler. He is scared by the chaos of it all but Rose just sits quietly playing with her Rice Krispies, she looks adorable in her blue dressing gown with her hair still untamed. He still isn't used to all this even though it's been a while since he stepped on to that sandy shore.

"Would you like something to eat?"

He looks at her and shakes his head, "I'm fine."

She smiles at him that look that says that she knows him well enough not to take no as an answer. "C'mon you have to eat something, you're starting work today."

He gives in and picks up a slice of thick cut white toast, "Happy?" He asks.

She smiles, "Close," she answers with a twinkle in her eye.

He can't keep the grin off his face, "Got to go, everything here is a lot slower..."

He had to say it didn't he, he couldn't have picked a better word a different statement anything other than that. The world stopped then for a moment and then she told him that she didn't want him here either it's seems strange now as he sits on the bus thinking there argument over that these things should happen. He knows deep down that he doesn't belong here because there's this little voice in his head that niggles at him. He didn't ask to be here it's not his fault either but the cards have been sorted and he has to cope with what was dealt and maybe consequences are a foreign land even to him the most seasoned of travellers but they mean Rose.

The bus stops at the corner by the school and he picks up the new leather satchel that Rose brought for him to carry about his books and pens for his day. He is going to be a teacher again; it won't be easy trying to remember where the level of knowledge is and it will be frustrating but he likes teaching. He always took a companion with him to try to show them a better way of life to teach them about the universe and admittedly there isn't a lot of comparison between the TARDIS and a classroom but the principals the same.

"Ah Mr Smith," the head teacher smiles, "I hope you found us alright."

"You're directions were helpful," John answers he doesn't want to make a bad impression on his first day. "But I am generally good at remembering places as long as I have been there once and the interview don't feel that long ago." He smiles with his hands in his pockets at least he has a reason to wear his suit today.

The head smiles again, "Quite right, well we'll go to the staff room and I'll introduce you to the head of your department, wonderful chap named Taylor, been with the school since the year dot type of thing. He teaches chemistry mostly."

The school seems so eerie without the students but they will be there soon enough and he wonders if he's up to taking charge of thirty odd kids with hoodies and ASBO's. He smiles at himself thinking on that original idea it is after all a private school in the leafy Surrey suburbs not really the intercity nightmare he was trying to paint.

The staff room is on the first floor by the assembly hall and reception in a part of the school that the pupil's never go to. The head teacher opens the grey door with the staff only sign and inside sit a small congregation of people sip coffee and industrial strength tea in personalised mugs, he doesn't have a cup.

"Where is everyone it's nearly opening hours?"

"Simon's stuck in traffic," a woman in blue drinking from a cup with a kitten wearing a tiara on it answers starting the line of excuses.

"Thank you Katie, "the head sighs. "Katie Branning is my deputy and the head of the maths department while Simon Luke who is apparently caught in traffic is head of history. Next to Katie is Charlie Bartram head of English...

John nods feeling nervous at least they seem a friendly enough bunch unlike those at Drayton Vale who weren't very welcoming the last member of the factuality to make himself known is Adam Taylor who is edging sixty and wide around the middle and thinning on top.

"Welcome aboard lad, shall we have a look at our impressive science block it's a highlight of the school was in the prospectus but then the last one was blown up by a bright spark named Jenkins." Adam smiles and John instantly likes him to the point that he laughs at his bright spark joke.

The science block is very modern with power point boards and the neat little gas taps. "You have had two previous posts in schools Mr Smith?"

"That's right, and, please calls me John," he smiles.

"First period is at nine, I hope you don't mind but Mrs Giles had left a few notes for today's lesson plan."

"It's usually best that way," John nods because it seems a thing a teacher would say after all he doesn't know where they are in the curriculum and being private do they even have a curriculum? He has never felt so alien and out of depth but then money needs to be made as he can't sponge of the hospitality of the Tyler's forever.

"Quite right, if you'll excuse me I have a form and have to do registration."

"Of course," He watches his head of department leave and takes a tour of his new classroom SC4. He sets up for the first lesson and waits for the large empty room to be filled with eager students ready to learn.


	7. Chapter 7

Earned

The staff room is often a thing of speculation for your average student but not many would guess the office politics that take place behind the grey door. John being very new at the entire concept of work didn't know that he had to make the hot beverages as the new boy and he didn't know that he couldn't just sit anywhere. Adam took mercy on him for reasons unknown and let him have the chair next to him, many talked about how far Adam's hospitality for the new cute Physics teacher stretched.

"Are you married John?" They asked, he said no but said he was widowed which put the whispers to a stop not many pry further when death is involved because it makes them uncomfortable and to be honest they really don't care. They have their own problems of course like the drama teacher with the drink habit and the art teacher who got too close to one of his students.

"Pay slips," the stressed out Miss Cotton says handing out little envelopes.

John couldn't be happier, he's never had a pay slip before and he can't share his excitement because that would be very strange. He thinks of all the things he can buy now but he's never been one for processions maybe he could go down to the Oval watch the beautiful game or take Rose out for dinner.

He opts for the dinner option because if he doesn't do something he will lose her he can already feel that they are drifting apart. "Do you know any good restaurants?" He asks Adam, his first proper friend this side of the rift.

"The Pheasant is rather grand a mixture of French and gastro cuisine, or of course for a more relaxed atmosphere The Morris Men has a nice enough menu and being a pub there's always lots of alcohol if it doesn't go well."

"Thanks," he smiles thinking that the pub is his best option. He can see Rose feeling out of her depth in the formal settings but that's Rose, she'll be happy to eat in a canteen on a sanctuary base but give her a French menu and she'd panic.

Rose loves the idea and hugs him like she used to when he was still the Doctor. "I'll go get changed," she smiles rushing to her room.

He goes off to his own room and has a shave. He doesn't have a lot of clothes other than the blue suit and the pyjamas he's borrowing from Pete. Rose dragged him shopping but he didn't want to buy too much because it wasn't his money he was spending. There isn't a lot in his room other than the furniture it already had, except a couple of books and a poster with a UFO on it from some cult TV show with the words 'I Want to Belief' written across it. He thought it was funny even after everything they still don't know just how big the universe is but then they aren't ready to know yet.

He misses it sometimes. He is stuck here and every smile on Rose's face gives him hope that one day he'll not miss it and that everything will click in place but he's never been very good at waiting. The slow path Annette called it and he tried to understand but what did he know about the length of the slow path? He had no concept of time not like they do, he knows the science of it and he saw it all so terrifying clear but he didn't ever know how long it seemed to stretch out in front of you. It is no time at all not in the bigger picture but then he can't live to nine hundred years and he wouldn't want to.

"John?" Rose calls.

He washes his face and pulls on a clean stripy brown shirt, "I'm ready." He answers.

They take a slow amble to the pub under the stars.

"I bet you could name them all," she smiles looking up at the sparkling blanket.

He nods, "Would you like to know them?"

"Nope," she answers. "Dona's Granddad might be into astrology but it's not the same is it?"

"Astronomy, astrology's horoscopes and birth charts," he corrects.

She looks hurt, "You're students must love you?"

"If Torchwood doesn't work out there's bound to be a job in the canteen," he retorts.

She whacks him playfully with laughter in her eyes, "Shut up."

He looks at her and she's still his Rose and she has never looked more beautiful than she does now. He leans in and kisses her soft pink lips tasting her strawberry lip-gloss.

She pulls back shocked, "Doctor?"

He wants to say sorry to make it alright but the part of him that's Miss Noble is dying for a row. "Thought I wasn't the Doctor," he mutters.

She looks at him, "Maybe you're not," she shrugs trying to keep distant.

"Well am I?" He asks as she turns to walk away. This isn't surpassed to happen they were going to have dinner to celebrate his first wage not a Barney in the middle of the street. "Because I'm really trying here Rose, I didn't ask to be here and I'm stuck here to this blooming rock with a job and a room." He says grabbing hold of her arm.

"I'm sorry that it's so terrible for you being stuck here with me!"

"That's so not what I meant," he shakes his head. "Do you want me to leave?" He asks.

"Do you want to go?" She asks throwing his words back at her.

He shakes his head, "I want to stay with you Rose but not like this." He answers honestly.

"What do you mean like this?" She asks falling over his words like hurdles.

"I love you Rose Tyler," he says. "And I'm not the man you wanted me to be, I want to be but I'm not because he's not me. Do you understand that?"

"No," she croaks silent tears streaking her mascara.

"Neither do I," he doesn't want to do this. "Maybe until I figure it out, we can't work."

"You're leaving?" She asks grabbing hold of him. "Tell me you're not leaving me too."

"Do you want me to stay?" He asks, "Because if there's the slightest chance of us being together I need to know because I'm falling apart here Rose."

"I... I want you to stay," she sobs holding him to her. "Please stay," she buries her face in his chest.

He strokes her hair, "Why?" He asks. "I need you to say it."

She tilts her head back so she can see his face, she knows every line and curve as well as her own. "I want to love you."

"But you don't?" He asks.

"I don't know," she pulls away from him. "I love the Doctor, and you're him but you're not because he's still out there with Donna and... my head hurts."

"But you want me to stay?" He asks.

"Yes," she nods. "I want you to stay and I also want to do this," she smiles kissing him.


	8. Chapter 8

The Date

_AN: there are no words that excuse my sloppy lack of updating so I won't lie but hope this makes up for it eager fans, so until next time xoxo.._

Adam was right the pub is lovely in an old country way and it's refreshing for John not to find himself in one of those modern soulless chains. John repeats the order in his head trying not to forget the exact drink and meal that Rose wants, obviously she wants chips but she wants them with the chicken tikka massala and to John that just seems really weird because he's always put rice with curry. Some things are just supposed to be together.

"What can I get you love?" The busty barmaid asks.

His mind goes blank for a second. How many times did he rehearse his order on the way to the bar? "Well she'll have the tikka massala with chips and a Bacardi and coke, I on the other hand would like the..." He didn't pick anything for himself, would a little pub like this have cocktails? Does he want fish or steak? "The surf 'n' turf, with um..." now he's stuck because if he was going to have wine he would need two glasses as fish goes with white but a red would be better for the steak. The wine menu in a place like this would only be house red or white anyway, probably new world. The bar maid is growing impatient with him but there's too much in his head to make a decision. He scans the pumps looking for something to jump out and he sees the real ales with their silly names and pictures so he orders a pint of ale.

The barmaid smiles letting out a sigh that resembles a tyre with a puncture. "Is that it?"

He nods officially chuffed with being able to make it through the order, "For now." Rose will want afters but he'll face that minefield when he gets to it. He pays for the meal and is handed a metal stick with a number seven on it.

Rose is flipping a beer mat; John knows nervous energy when he sees it. Could it be possible that she's as nervous as he is? She takes her rum and coke noting that he remembered the ice and slice she'd asked for. "Thanks." She smiles.

"You're welcome," he smiles back. He's seen some amazing things over the ten live times he spent travelling but there are very few that are as beautiful as that smile on her face. He couldn't even capture it on paper in that book he kept the last time he was human. Not properly she was a dream then, an angel and here she is flesh and blood the very embodiment of the word tangible. "You're beautiful," he smiles putting it into words making her cheeks go red.

"Shut up," she blushes touching his arm.

He strokes the gold hair from her face so he can see her properly, "I mean it Rose you're beautiful." He smiles kissing her on her luscious lips tasting her cherry lip balm and drink. "I thought so since I saw you in the shop but it wouldn't have been fair to have said it knowing that I could never give you a normal life."

"I didn't want a normal life," she would have stayed with him forever if he had let her. Her feelings for him confuse her but something's as Sarah Jane said are worth having your heart broken for. "I just wanted to be with you."

"Now you can have both if you wanted," he smiles promising her the world and the stars hoping that she'll let him be her Doctor again. He wants to be the man that she can be proud.

"I want that," she smiles as she holds his hand.

Life should be made up of moments like this one and for all his adventures John's life hasn't had too many good days but this has to be his favourite. She is actually looking at him like he's the Doctor and it gives him a warm glow all over.

"Does this mean this is our first date?" He asks needing to hear her actually say it before he can afford to let his heart rule his head.


End file.
